13.
1st January, 1926.
Last ovoning wo roccived an invitation to dinner fr.:
the Strikors Union for 4 o'clock today which wo attended.
There woro about 40 of the strikers and the scvon of us
Mr. So Siu Ching taking the chair.
The Chairman began by a short spooch of welcome nd oxprossed the hope that our dologation would ho something to spork to thom by way of reply utc.
9
Mr. Li You Chuon roplicd shortly to the offcct that
as roprosentativos of Chinoso merchants in Hongkong wo
woro ondoavouring to roach a settlement of the strike, and, as proviously arranged, I spoke shortly, emphasising that
the actions of the labourers in ondoavouring to improvo
their status dosorvod ovo.y sympathy and referring to
the fact that I had taken part in the mattor of the
Pork and Race Course questions. I hoped that by closo cooporation botwoon employers and workers, 11 misundor-
standing would be rendered impossiblo.
Mr. Tang Chung-hi ( Chairman of the Affiliatod
Labourers' Union of China) who spoko in a Northern dialect
and whose spooch was interpreted by Mr. So Siu Ching spoke
at great longth as to tho origin of the strike. Vory
shortly summarisod the offoct is as follows:-
China and Chinoso had always boon trampled upon by
tho Europoons, and thon the Chinese were murdorod in
Shanghai and alsowhoro, labourers ina body bogen to
strike out of purely patriotic motives, since China
was not strong enough to doclare war. Thon the
Shamcon murders. The strike was not directed against
the Chinoso in Hongkong, but because Hongkong, liko
Shamoon and Shanghai was within the British jurisdiction